Matthew 3-4 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you,and they will lift you up in their hands,so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

We live in a world at war and Jesus invaded enemy territory on a rescue mission!

Satan’s primary strategy (with Jesus and with us) is to create doubt:

· that by faith in Jesus I am given a new “child of God” identity!

· whether my Father in heaven is good and for me!

· so I will take matters into my own hands …… justifying myself along the way!

Jesus, what is going on in me when I return to my default which is doubt instead of trust?

Jesus, how can I order my life so that trust is fed and doubt is starved?